I Dreamt of a Butterfly
by Birisu
Summary: Sasuke finally returns to Konoha - with all memories lost. He has also undergone a transformation more drastic than anything anyone has ever anticipated... But is all this really a curse? Or a blessing? SasuSaku
1. One

**Foreword:** I give you a warning. There is major SasukeOOCness in this story – for a reason, though. Another thing – it's SasuSaku. Finally, be prepared to face my morbidity. :P That said, let's get on to the story. Read and review (I beg of you!).

* * *

**I Dreamt of a Butterfly**

**Chapter One**

It was nice to sit like this. It was nice to sit on top of a hilltop that overlooked the valley which linked the outside world to the small, busy village of Konoha. It was nice to be here in this spot on a not-too-bright day beside your best friend. It was nice to finally let out a deep breath one'd been holding for a long time and be silent and think one's thoughts without being interrupted. It was a nice day. A day to remember, to reflect. A day of memories.

Ino knew what was on Sakura's mind. It could be nothing else. Three years ago Uchiha Sasuke had left Konoha through this same valley. Now whenever Sakura needed to relax or get away from things for a while, she came here. Whenever she found she needed to reflect on and talk about the past and let it motivate her instead of getting her down, she sought out Ino. The two would sit there together and talk. Of course, occasionally Sakura would talk about Sasuke. Of course her green gaze never ceased to leave that little valley, hoping upon hope that someday the Uchiha would step through that place one again.

"Do you think I'd recognize Sasuke if he walked down that valley now?" Sakura asked. For once it was her who broke the silence.

There were so many things that had to be said and settled, but when it was done, they were closer than ever. Ino smiled wistfully towards her friend. "I suppose not. How do you think he'd look? Taller, maybe, tanner, leaner, more muscular…"

"Mini-Orochimaru."

That was all Sakura said as she returned her gaze to the terrain below them. There was a definite bitter edge to her tone, and Ino detected it immediately. She decided to change the subject.

"How long are you planning to stay here, by the way? I'll have to go soon. I'm meeting Shikamaru and Chouji for more training sessisons. Lazy bum's really taking his time to show us his cool new jutsu. He thinks it'd be cooler if he kept us in suspense. Just he wait 'til I pummel him…"

Now Sakura smiled. "Same old Shika, huh? Okay, I suppose we'd better go. I'd hate for Shika to be pummeled. He should have seen how you beat up Kiba for hiding your make-up the other day…" The usual Sakura was back; the storm was past.

The two stood up, giving one last long look to the surrounding areas as they dusted of their clothes. Then, as they both turned to go, Sakura saw something out of the corner of her eye. It was a lone, dark figure, limping slowly through the valley.

Sakura couldn't see his face and she couldn't see his build from such a height, but there was something in the way he moved that was utterly reminiscent of Sasuke. There was also something in her mind, her heart, her soul that told her this was him. This was the one she'd cried for everyday since he left. This was the one whom she still dreamt of her in her sleep This was who she became a medical ninja for. This was who she had rejected guy after guy to wait – abeit foolishly – for. This was the only boy she had ever loved. Uchiha Sasuke.

He was finally back.

The lone figure stumbled suddenly, falling over. Sakura screamed.

-

-

-

Sakura had never run so fast in her life. Her heart was pounding crazily; her tears fell like rain and sweat poured from her body in buckets. Her legs were close to numb, but she kept going like a wound-up toy, a machine. Her throat was dry and many times she skidded and slid dangerously along the steep, rocky mountain path. Ino fought to catch up with her, but could not.

It no longer mattered whose side he was now on, Tsunade's or Orochimaru's. It no longer mattered if he was still on the darkside and had come to destroy their village. It no longer mattered if he was still Sasuke the Betrayer. There was only one thing that mattered to Sakura at that moment, and it was that he was back.

Sakura thought she had never run so slow in her life.

She reached there, finally. She stopped very abruptly at the sight of the throngs of people in the area and thought her heart would leap out of her chest. She nearly fell to her knees in exhaustion. She could already make out Tsunade, Shizune, Kakashi-sensei and Naruto in the crowd. But she barely took them in. With all her strength she valiantly fought her way through. She did not register the look of shock and slight anger on Tsunade's features as she shoved her aside to get to Sasuke.

"Sakura-chan!" She barely heard him. She could feel Naruto's and Kakashi's eyes boring into her back.

Sasuke was crouched on the ground, his face hidden from view. She gasped, taking in his blood-matted hair and crimson-stained clothes. Tears began to flow freely once gain from her eyes. Then he looked up. Trembling, Sakura knelt in front of him.

Yes, he was taller. Leaner. More muscular… His hair was longer and flatter, but still had his distinct 'Sasuke' style. He had a earring in one ear and dark rings under his eyes, like Orochimaru. But he was still Sasuke. And that was enough.

"Sakura," Kakashi began, but she didn't hear him. She lost all rationality to the wind. She threw her arms around Sasuke, holding him like she'd never held anyone. She wept into his shoulder. She smelt rain and mud and sweat and blood and Sasuke.

"Sakura, he's…" Kakashi tried to say.

Sakura pulled back slightly to look at Sasuke. He was staring straight at her. His face was thinner, now. It looked weather-beaten, and had a few scars over it, but it was _him_, and he was looking directly at her. Sakura reached out a hand to touch his cheek, but something in his gaze made her stop.

"S…Sasuke…?"

She felt a hand on her shoulder. It was Naruto. There was something in his eyes, urgent and pleading. Kakashi's eyes spoke volumes of regret and pity.

"Sasuke's… well…" He fumbled for the words, couldn't find them and trailed off.

And before Sakura's very eyes, Sasuke's mouth spread without warning into a large smile.

It was the most beautiful and tragic thing she'd ever seen in her life.

He lifted a finger, pointing at her, his eyes wide.

"Who are you?"

-

-

-

_To be contined..._

* * *

**Author's notes:**

Ahaha. I think from the hints dropped near the end of the chapter, most of you should understand what's happened to Sasuke. If you don't… don't worry. All will be revealed – explicitly – in the next chapter. Which will be up soon, since I already have it down on paper and all I have to do is type it in.

For this story, I'm more concerned with emotions and visualizations than the plot or dialogue. I imagined out this story in the form of images, but since my drawing skillx suck and I cant draw doujinshi, I have to make do with this awful piece of fanfiction. I hope you enjoyed and understood it, anyway. Please, please drop a review. I'd even appreciate criticism, especially if it's constructive.

Finally, a little warning to all Sasuke-fangirls… you all'd probably NOT like how Sasuke will be portrayed in the next few chapters. I'll also become increasingly more morbid later. –sadistic grin-

And that's it – keep an eye out fot chappy two. :D review!


	2. Two

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and the rest of its oh-so-hot characters are property of Kishimoto Masashi.

**I Dreamt of a Butterfly**

**Chapter Two

* * *

**

"…hit his head, as a manner of speaking," Tsunade was saying in a low tone to Naruto and Kakashi. "He got a major concussion. There was a wide gash along the side of his scalp… His skull is fractured, and some part of his brain is affected. That's why he's lost his memory, and that's why he's now…"

"A harmless retard," Naruto finished for the Fifth Hokage, his mouth curling into a snarl. His fist shook, and without warning he spun and slammed it hard into the wall behind him.

He had voiced what no one else had dared to mention. "Naruto," Kakashi began in a warning tone – for Sakura and Ino were sitting only some distance away from them in the hospital lobby. But it was apparent from the look of resignation and sorrow in the copy ninja's eyes that he understood, too. His greatest student was now a toddler living in the body of a man. Kakashi closed his eyes.

"There's no way we can return him back, then?" Naruto asked in a trembling voice.

Slowly, Tsunade shook her head.

"You must understand," she said, very quietly. "Sasuke came back to Konoha on his own. It is not simply a coincidence. His memories of Konoha are still intact. Something, possibly his survival instinct, brought the route here to his mind's surface. If he can't remember anything else, it's because he's suppressing it…"

No one spoke a word.

"I think we can all understand why," the Fifth spoke, with an air of finality.

And there was something n the air – something that had been left unsaid. It as a question that had risen in everyone's minds…

_If Sasuke were to regain his memories…_

_What would he do?_

_What would become of Konoha then?_

And then as though by some kind of unsaid agreement, everyone turned towards the pink-haired shinobi sitting at the end of the hallway. Sakura's eyes were red and swollen from crying; but now she seemed the picture of calm as she clutched the edge of her seat and stared down at the floor.

"Sakura-chan?" Ino said, as Sakura brushed her dress briefly and stood up. "Are you going to see…?" She could not speak his name without some kind of difficulty.

Sakura turned slightly and raised a visibly trembling hand.

"I'm going home," she said loudly in a voice that was too cheerful to fool anyone. Her smile, as well as her eyes were overly-bright. "It's going to be a long day for me tomorrow. I've got a big mission to complete… I need my rest…"

Without another word, she spun and fled from the place. Ino called after her, but Naruto held her back with an outstretched arm.

"It's better for her this way," Naruto spoke, his voice hard and quiet. "It's better for him, too. It's what's best for them, and for all of us…"

o

o

o

"Don't you know? Sasuke's back! Huh? You knew? Why didn't you go to see him? Sakura? Sakura!"

It was the same thing everyday. People who had just returned from seeing Sasuke would pop up on her doorstep, concerned about her and curious about the reason behind her absence in the hospital room. She'd brush off the questions, saying she was always too busy on missions. But for the more pesky ones, she ended the conversation by shutting the door in their faces. Ino in particular had been trying to speak to Sakura fro days without success.

"Do you have any idea how selfish you can be, Sakura?" Kakashi now spoke to his student, his tone bordering on the edge of impatience. "Your _oh-so-cool, oh-so-powerful_ and handsome Sasuke never had a chance to live his life over again – until now. Why can't you accept what's happened to him?"

"Because he's _not_ Sasuke!" Sakura shrieked in reply. "Because he's not the Sasuke I knew!"

And then, completely ashamed at herself for screaming at her sensei, she slammed the door hastily in his face.

There was a heavy downpour the next day as Sakura returned dejectedly from her lessons at the Hokage's living quarters. Hyuga Neji, though still as cold and distant as ever, had kindly consented to let her spend the rest of the rainy afternoon at the Hyuga residence, which was almost right beside Tsunade's house. As she stepped into the compound, she heard a familiar voice ask,

"Hinata-chan? What is this?"

"Rain," Hyuga Hinata's voice replied.

Sakura stood transfixed at the sight of Sasuke standing in the rain, drenched to the skin in a moment. There was a happy smile on his face and his eyes were closed as he raised his arms up towards the overcast sky.

Hinata's voice once again jolted Sakura back to reality. "C'mon indoors, or you're going to catch a cold!" Sakura stared as the girl dragged a very reluctant Sasuke out of the rain under the porch. At that same moment the two caught sight of Sakura and froze – as though they had been caught doing something, unsure of what to say.

Against her own will, Sakura found her legs carrying her forwards. She found herself asking Neji, in a strangled tone, "What… is the meaning of this?"

"He's already fully recovered from his wounds," Neji answered. "Tsunade-sama put him here to be under our observation. It's also near her place, so she can come over anytime she likes."

Sakura approached and she became dimly aware that Hizashi Hyuga and Jiraiya were also present, speaking together in low tones. Sasuke's face spread into a wide grin as she came nearer.

"Pink hair!" he cried, pointing.

Sakura felt an overwhelming urge to _hit_ him. She forced it down and made herself sit down across from him without a single word.

"H…Hi, Sakura-chan," Hinata began nervously. "So many people have been dropping in for the past few days… we were wondering when you'd come…" She paused. "Naruto-kun came along earlier too… but… Sasuke didn't want to see him. For some reason, seeing Naruto-kun agitated him…"

Sakura said nothing.

_Didn't want to see him_?

She thought of Tsunade's words.

"_His memories are still intact… Something, possibly his survival instinct, brought the route here to his mind's surface. If he can't remember anything else, it's because he's suppressing it…_"

Sasuke was leaning forward to peer closely into Sakura's face. "I know you!" he declared cheerfully from his cross-legged position on the floor. He was paying no heed to the fact that he was dripping all over the place. "You were there – when I came here…"

Sakura said nothing.

And Hyuga Hizashi picked that moment of silence to ask Jiraiya, "So you think Orochimaru will come to get Sasuke back?"

Sasuke's head jerked up at this statement.

"Who's Orochimaru?" he asked, eyes very wide.

There was a long silence.

Sakura beat everyone to the answer. Her mouth opened and she heard herself telling him, "Orochimaru's the leader of the Sound Village. You left to join him three years ago. He wanted to use you as a new body to accomplish his goal of immortality. Because you have the Sharingan."

The look of shock and appall on everyone's faces made Sakura want to laugh.

"What? I don't understand!" Sasuke cried, his voice rising up in the sudden rush of frustration that welled up in him. "What's the Sharingan?"

Hinata rushed to the rescue.

"You don't have to worry about anything anymore, Sasuke," she told him. "POrochimaru's a monster, that's all."

"Monster?"

"Yes, a monster… big, and fierce… they like to bully people… they're _bad_ people… Ugly, and horrible, and like eating up nice young boys… Don't worry, we're more powerful than him!"

Sasuke's mouth spread into a wide, relieved grin.

"Then you all will protect me?"

Sakura's heart broke at those words.

"Of course," Hinata reassured him with a soft smile.

Something snapped in Sakura right then. She dove forward, grabbing his shirt in her hands.

"Why? Why do you need someone to protect you? Are you that helpless?" She couldn't help it – once she had begun, she could not stop. "Are you _really_ that helpless? Uchiha Sasuke? Huh? _Huh_?"

He stared up at her in bewilderment. His eyes were nothing like what she had remembered of Sasuke.

He said, "I'm weak."

Sakura hit him.

The quiet that followed this was deafening. Sakura's hand stung with the impact. She got up, turned and ran. No one called after her; no one stopped her. Soon she slowed to a jog and then to a walk, and went home alone under the pouring skies.

* * *

**Author's Notes: **M'kay, I hope that didn't confuse you all TOO much… and I do hope that you guys don't start hating Sakura or Sasuke or ME from reading this chapter. I'll try to explain and clear things up the next time if this chapter was a little too difficult to understand. Anyway! Thanks for the nice reviews! And continue to look out for the next chapter… it should be up by the next week (since all I have to do is type it in!) Adios. 


	3. Three

**Disclaimer: **See it on chapter two.

* * *

**I Dreamt of a Butterfly**

**Chapter Three

* * *

**

The next time she saw him was at the marketplace.

She hadn't been expecting to see him there, alone. In a sense.

There were three of them ganging up on him. All of them were undoubtedly smaller, punier and less muscular in comparison to him. It was indeed the saddest and most pathetic of sights to see Sasuke crouched helplessly in a corner of the alley, unwilling and perhaps unable to retaliate.

"Pathetic!"

One of them was laughing his head off at Sasuke.

"Know what? I was in the same class as you long ago… I watched you do all your Justus and scoring full marks for every one of them. I watched you come in first every year!"

He kicked Sasuke in the stomach. The Uchiha doubled over, coughing and gasping.

"Konoha wasn't good enough for you, I suppose! You _had_ to run off to the Sound, huh? You _traitor…_"

Another kick was aimed at his chest.

"_TRAITOR…_"

One of them grabbed a fistful of his hair, dragging him up. "And then when Orochimaru didn't want you, you scrambled right back to us, huh?"

Sasuke cried out in pain.

"Why don't you go back to where you belong? To that bunch of _bastards_?"

It happened in that moment. Several kunai whizzed through the air, effectively pinning the bullies' clothes and themselves to the wall.

"If I ever see you three picking on Sasuke again," Haruno Sakura whispered, her voice trembling with every syllable, "I'll _kill_ you."

She turned on her heel and left, and Sasuke picked himself up and followed, limping as he clutched his side in pain. But he made no complaint as he made after Sakura.

o

o

o

She ran, he ran; she walked, and he followed. They reached a flower field; she gave up trying to throw him off and sat down on a grassy spot. He plopped himself down beside her and stared at her somewhat expectantly. He didn't seem to be in the least bit affected by what he had just gone through minutes ago. Sakura stared at him and relented, hovering her hands over the bruised parts of his body and releasing her chakra into them.

Sasuke eyes spoke volumes of awe as his wounds were healed, but he said nothing. He wasn't smiling when he looked at her. She found she liked it better that way.

He was more like the Sasuke she knew then…

"You're… not really grateful for my help, are you?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant as she looked away. She stood up and walked away slightly, as though preparing to leave.

His answer threw her off guard.

"Everytime I see you, you are either angry or sad," he said. "You are always crying. You were crying just now."

_I was_? She drew her hand across her eyes and was surprised to see moisture on them. "So… you _don't_ want me to cry everytime I see you?" she asked, but she was no longer sure of what she was trying to ask.

"Of course," he stated, his eyes wide and round.

"But you don't even know me, do you?" she asked, a faint tremble in her tone.

He looked taken aback now.

"Yes… you don't know me. You don't _remember_ me. Why should you even care?" Sakura took a step towards him, a challenging glint in her emerald orbs. Without thinking, she rushed on, "Tsunade-sama said you can't remember us because you _don't_ want to remember us. She thinks you find your memories too painful to recall. But… our days as Team 7 – weren't they happy? Weren't those days the most meaningful days of your life? How can you choose to forget Naruto? Even now, how can you push him away? Why is it unbearable to think about him? Naruto and I were both your closest friends, but why is it only him, and not me? Not _me_?"

He didn't say a word. His eyebrows knitted together into a frown that clearly showed that he did not understand. His fists were clenched at his side as he returned her stare. But the expression in his eyes was different. He looked lost and forlorn, like a little child. Sakura turned away and put her head in her hands.

"Sorry, I've been… raving." She sank down onto the grass, her knees drawn up to her chest. Laughing bitterly, she went on, more to herself than to Sasuke, "You always used to be the one who'd protect me. You were so strong, so powerful. All the girls liked you and all the guys wanted to be like you. But you always walked around with stooped shoulders, like you carried the weight of the world. You were filled with so much pain and I could see that. You couldn't _smile_.

"But now you're a complete opposite of who you used to be." Sakura looked up, searching Sasuke's dark eyes for a hint of the old Uchiha she knew in them.

"You're empty. Hollow. Like a shell."

He sat down beside her, not comprehending. Maybe he did. But he said nothing about her previous statement as he touched her hand lightly and said, "Sakura-chan…"

"…What?"

"I… I _did_ try to remember Sakura-chan." And, without warning, a brilliant smile sprang onto his face.

"Actually, I think I do!" Now he looked as excited as a little child presented with his first bag of sweets. "Because I knew Sakura-chan was kind warm. I knew it from the first time I saw Sakura-chan! I knew Sakura-chan cared about me, so I thought, 'Sakura-chan must know me from a long time ago.' And… I can feel it. You… you are an important person to me!"

If only, if only. If only it had been the real Uchiha Sasuke saying this to her. She thought she would be happy dying at this very moment. Sakura laid her temple down onto her knees and closed her eyes. "I am…?" she whispered, her voice coming out muffled.

He nodded, almost excitedly. "That is why I want you to be happy, Sakura-chan!" His face grew serious. "Sakura-chan, I can't remember my past. But I don't mind not knowing anymore. I only know I am happy now. Maybe I am weak and stupid. Maybe I really am a… retard. But… Sakura, I am happy. You should be happy, too! If not for me, then, at least, for yourself."

_He is happy…_

Heart racing slightly, she looked up again to see an entrancing image. Sasuke was sitting among the flowers, with his hands cupped together, palms facing upwards. He was holding a beautiful butterfly. He was laughing without restraint at this creation of Nature he now held. Sakura inhaled sharply at the sight. He looked so innocent and childlike, as though the woes and worries of the world were completely lost to him. He cupped the butterfly gently, ever so gently, with fingers that had once twirled and gripped a kunai with amazing dexterity. He cupped the butterfly so gently with strong hands that once would usually glow blue with the onset of his chakra. Hands – hands that had once hurt, killed. Uchiha Sasuke stared down at the butterfly with a soft, curious gaze. Sakura knew she would never again see the Sharingan in those eyes.

"You're… _happy_?"

He blinked and looked over at her. And he smiled.

"Yes," he replied.

She gave a sigh; a small, wistful sigh that seemed to completely release the burden from her shoulders.

"If you're happy, then… I'm happy, too…"

* * *

**Author's Notes:**

Once again, I'm really glad you all enjoyed the previous chapter. Thanks for all the nice reviews and keep them coming! I'm glad people have managed to stay open-minded about SasuSaku and various other issues. –huggles everyone- :D

I suppose this is one of my shortest (and perhaps most pointless) chapters EVER… I hope you guys liked it. It gets a little too fluffy from here – you'll be able to see what I mean in the next chapter. I hope I managed to keep OOC-ness to a minimum, and once again if there're any typos please inform me.

Next chapter should be out some time next week. Sorry to disappoint you guys, but… the next part is the last official chapter. Following that is an epilogue. I never intended this to be a long piece of fanfiction, because I think my creative juices run dry pretty quickly and I lack the commitment, so… my apologies.

Okay… I'm sidetracking a little, but I can't help it. A little piece of advertisement to all who wish to roleplay Naruto characters (or any other anime/manga char, basically) in a multi-fandom universe – http: is the place to go. More information can be found in the 'user info' link. We're still very, very short of members and we'd appreciate more applications! Female characters are especially welcome (because bishounen have been flooding the board lately. :P Not that I mind, but…) Hope to see you there!

And, once again, thanks for reading my fic. )


	4. Four

**Disclaimer: **See chapter two.

* * *

**I Dreamt of a Butterfly**

**Chapter Four**

**

* * *

**

Sasuke laughed in glee, clapping his hands.

"You can open your eyes now, Sakura-chan!"

Sakura let out a sigh of relief and finally opened her eyes. She lifted a hand to her mouth, concealing a gasp. Sasuke dangled a garland of flowers in front of her face.

"You…"

"Ino-chan taught me how to make this!" Sasuke explained. Sakura smiled. It was always Ino who had been able to do things like this. Sakura herself was never really excellent at doing ladylike things like this. And speaking of Ino – well, Sakura had really been acting like a btch lately. Ino deserved an apology…

Sasuke had wreathed the garland with fingers that had once killed a person. But then again, the past was no longer of any consequence. There was no old Sasuke; neither was there a _new_ Sasuke. This man with the mind of a child was Uchiha Sasuke – he had always been so and he would always be so.

Gently he placed the garland around her neck and beamed. "You look so pretty!" he declared.

Sakura felt giddy. A favourite childhood daydream of hers – the one with Sasuke in it, of course – rose to her mind. On impulse, she moved forward a little and kissed him on the cheek. "Thank… thank you."

Hey, she'd always wanted to do this… and no matter how much he'd changed, he was _still_ as gorgeous as ever.

He looked surprised. Sakura blushed. Without warning, Sasuke shifted slightly and returned her kiss, except it was on her forehead. Her very wide forehead.

Sakura thought she would melt.

_My dream came true!..._

When she finally recovered from her brief fainting spell, she straightened and saw that Sasuke had his little finger poked out in front of her. She blinked. "What?"

"I wanna stay with Sakura-chan forever," he declared. "Hinata-chan says this is how you make a promise! So let's make one! Sakura-chan must promise to stay with me forever!"

His grin was cheeky and heartmelting at the same time. Sakura resisted the tears rising up in her eyes and hooked her little finger around his.

o

o

o

The sun had set. Sasuke shifted uneasily from his spot on the ground. Already, the parched areas were beginning to lose their stinging heat as the day began to fade away into night. Sasuke didn't like nighttime. He didn't like the darkness. It made him feel tense and wary, as though there might be monsters and demons lurking in those shadows, thirsty for his blood. The night made Sasuke's head hurt sometimes, too. Whenever his head hurt, he started thinking things that he didn't really want to think about in the first place.

He was tired and hungry. He'd been walking around for ages, trying to find his way back to Hinata-chan's place. Brother Neji would really give him a great scolding when he found him. He was supposed to be in the house, really, but he'd snuck out, plus he had failed to return. And Brother Neji was always so scary. Perhaps he shouldn't have turned down Sakura's offer to walk him home. But he jadn't wanted to worry Sakura-chan.

His stomach gave another little growl. He had ventured into the ramen store for food, but the woman saw him and shunned him away immediately. This always made him confused. Why did people hate him so?

So now he had given up, sort of. He sat alone under the full moon, waiting perhaps for someone to walk past, see him and give him directions. Lifting a stick, he tried to carve his name in the sand, but found he couldn't really do it well. Frustrated, he threw aside the stick, turning instead to the pebbles he had stacked up nicely near him. A smile formed on his face as he reached out for one.

"My, what a state you're in now, Sasuke-kun…"

The skin on the back of Sasuke's neck prickled. Slowly, trembling, he dropped the pebble and looked up. He saw someone standing some distance away from him. The person was wrapped in a cloak. Sasuke frowned. He did not know him…

The stranger took a step forward and now Sasuke got a clearer look at his face. The man's face was stretched widely in a huge grin that revealed most of his teeth, gleaming strongly under the bright moonlight.

"To think you would end up here, of all places."

A laugh.

"Look at yourself…"

Sasuke backed away on all fours.

"You embarrass me."

The voice was as cold as ice. Sasuke felt a strong sense of… _something_ overwhelm him. At first he thought it was fear. Maybe this guy was a monster, like what Hinata had said! But no. This feeling he now felt was black and vile and made him feel _horrible_. He tried without avail to fight it down.

It was hatred.

The stranger laughed again. "That's right, Sasuke-_kun_. Hating was the only thing you were good for, anyway. And those eyes of yours… extremely useful as well… I knew that day would come, that day when you escaped… But it's not fair, is it? I gave you what you wanted… you should give me yourself in return…"

That vile,nastyfeeling of hatred rose higher, and higher. In a split second, the tall, dark stranger stepped forward, knocking Sasuke smoothly off his feet with one clean blow. At the contact, pain exploded in Sasuke's head. With a loud cry that tore the silence of the night, Sasuke landed nearby, his fingers gripping his hair, digging into his scalp.

"That's right. _Remember_. Remember me. Remember how you killed someone of your own flesh and blood. Remember and hate yourself…"

And with another chilling laugh, the tall stranger turned, disappearing into the night.

He did not go far.

o

o

o

Sakura heard the scream that rose up, tall and loud, into the night. She heard it, and knew it was him. She was on her feet in an instant, flying towards where she thought he might be. It was not difficult to locate him.

"Sasuke?"

She found him kneeling in a corner of the alley. He had gone rigid and was shaking violently, like a possessed animal. His fingers were still digging into his hair and sweat matted his hair to his neck. His teeth were clenched, his eyes squeezed shut with pain. She ran to him, putting her hands on his shoulders, trying her bestto steady him. "Sasuke!" she cried. "What happened? It's okay. I'm here."

Sasuke turned to her, his eyes looking crazed.

"S-Sakura?"

In an instant she realized what had happened to him. Cold gripped her heart as she shook him slightly, trying to get him to relax and calm down, trying to make his pain subside, but not knowing exactly how to. "Sasuke!" _You can't remember. If you do, it'll be all gone! You'll go back to being depressed and unsmiling. You won't be able to smile anymore. You'll only hate yourself and others. You won't be happy anymore._

"Please… leave…"

"I won't! Sasuke, please… please stop!" Tears welled up in her eyes. What exactly was she trying to stop? He _couldn't_ stop, not once the gate had been opened to allow all his memories to pour in again. "It's… it's okay, Sasuke." She rambled on, unsure of what to say, just reciting whatever came into her mind in that instant. "Tomorrow we'll be going to the flower place again, and you would teach me to wreath flower garlands. You said so, right? Sasuke? Please… stop.

"...Stop..." The tears fell.

He found her hand and gripped it - hard. His fingernails were digging into her flesh. She ignored the pain and held his trembling body to hers. She released her chakra into him, praying that she could somehow soothe his racked body, but it didn't work – he was still in agony with the brutal onslaught of his own memories, raw and new.

"Sa... Sakura..." he hissed, his voice low and grating. She touched his face, eyes with hope.

But without warning, he lifted an arm, rouhgly shoving her aside.

"You must leave!"

Shegasped and bit on her lip, swallowing her yelp. Her elbow scraped painfully against the coarse ground. She picked herself up to see that he was righting himself; was about to stand. She ran to him again - but a kick from him made her sprawled once again on the ground. Not willing to give up yet, Sakura grabbed hold of his ankle and wrapped herself around him. But Sasuke gripped her arm firmly and pried her off him. Now Sakura could do nothing - she had been powerless. His strength was like nothing that she had ever been used to from anyone...

_No... don't leave..._

She thought it was a miracle that he was still standing there. There was silence. Then...

"You have to leave, Sakura... Don't you understand?"

She stared up at him. He swung around to stare at her with a face that was filled with despair beyond despair. "I am a monster, Sakura! I'm dangerous. I killed my own brother. I killed him, I killed him! I'm a _monster_!"

Eyes wide with horror and comprehension, she shook her head.

"You didn't..."

"Yes, I did!" he cried savagely, his voice rising with every syllable he spoke. Sakura was horrified to see that tears were pouring freely from his eyes, too. "I killed him with my bare hands... I... I killed my own flesh and blood! I watched him die...Ilaughed! I laughed at him! And I saw him smile! And... and... Sakura,_I killed Itachi_. I deserved to die... thought I should die... Why didn't I die, Sakura? I killed him..._I'm _the monster... _I'm _the monster..."

He wept.

"You're not... You're not!" Sakura stood up, trembling as she neared him. She wrapped her arms around him from behind.

His voice shook. "Let me _go_!"

"I won't! You're not a monster, Sasuke! You're just a child – a lost, confused, misunderstood child."

"...No..."

"You're not a monster. You just had the wrong ideas about happiness, that's all. You were never happy until the day you lost part of your mind. Sasuke…you have to be free. You have to learn to let go of the past! What's done is done. You're not evil, Sasuke… you're just… lonely..."

There was silence again. Sasuke continued to weep.

"I killed him... killed my brother..."

The convulsions that rocked his body had become less frequent. Sakura continued to hold him as he drew a deep, shuddering breath and relaxed slightly. When he spoke again, there was no moretremor in his tone.

"For my sake, for your sake, for everyone… I must go. I must settle things with Orochimaru, once and for all."

There was a flash in his eyes. Sakura saw scarlet. She saw the Sharingan.

"Don't go…" _I don't want you to die._

He stood, his jaw set. "I will do what I must."

Slowly, slowly, Sakura let go of him and stepped backward. There was no stopping him, then. It did not matter whether he lost his memories or regained them or not – this was his fate, his destiny – something he had to face no matter what. Only…

She gave a small smile...

"Remember that promise we made?" She was trembling. "We hooked fingers. You made me promise that we would stay together forever, Sasuke. I'll… I'll hold you to that."

Uchiha Sasuke, sole survivor of the Uchiha clan of Konoha, looked back at her, his eyes unreadable. He nodded once, took a step forward, and was gone, vanishing into the darkness. She watched him leave, and smiled, even as the tears continued to pour down her cheeks. A lone flower loosed itself from her hair; it floated away into the strong, cold wind of the night and spiraled away into the distance.

* * *

_To be continued..._

_

* * *

_

**_Author's notes:_ **Thank you, everyone, for your reviews once again! I'm really glad you all enjoyed this story, and I hope this chapter met all your expectations as well. Please continue to review :D

I hope this chapter wasn't too fluffy / dramatic / cliche in some way... because I had the feeling it did. -shrugs- I really suck sometimes... This chapter was a nightmare to write, too. Anyway, by putting in that little fluffy scene at the beginning, I was hoping to create a happy, dreamlike atmosphere as a prequel to the climax. Sort of like the calm/silence before the storm.

The next chapter is actually an epilogue in some ways... Yesh, it will be the last. I know more should have happened, maybe I could have let Sakura and Sasuke spend more happy times together before Orochimaru returns... but I'm not a patient person and I was running out of inspiration. So I was wondering if anyone would like to borrow my idea and turn it into a full length, many-chaptered story. I think this one is a little too short to be satisfying... is that so?

Btw... a desperate piece of advertisement here - if you'd like to roleplay a Naruto character (or any other anime/manga character, basically) in a multi-fandom AU universe...

livejournal . com / anime(underscore)rp(underscore)1999

is the place to go. Put it in without the spaces, enter the underscore. Just hit user info for, yesh, more info. Haha. We need more girls... as well as a Nara Shikamaru (okay, that's just because I'm roleplaying Yamanaka Ino, but seriously, Shika rules. ) PLEASE JOIN :D


	5. Five

**Disclaimer: **Naruto and its characters are not mine. Bleh.

* * *

**I Dreamt of a Butterfly**

**Epilogue**

"_Oooooh_!"

The response he elicited from the kids were exactly like what he had anticipated. Konohamaru smirked and puffed out his chest importantly. He had the perfect audience! They 'ooohed' and 'ahhhed' at all the right places. Sometimes they screamed, especially when he widened his eyes suddenly and raised his fingers, wiggling them. And whenever he paused dramatically for effect, they would simultaneously lean forward, eager for his next words. He cleared his throat, thinking of how to continue his story.

"And so, um… well, by this time, Sasuke was in deep trouble! Sasuke, as we all already know, was a genius and he had the Sharingan, but he was still no match for the uber evil and all-powerful Orochimaru! Thankfully, before he could be killed, our Hokage-sama, Tsunade and our pervert sennin Jiraiya-sama arrived on the scene! They both summoned their Toad and Slug to challenge Orochimaru's snake, Manda. However, they were all equally matched and neither of them seemed fit to be the victor. Meanwhile, Orochimaru himself advanced on Sasuke, eager to make use of his body!"

"For what?" a little child interrupted.

Konohamaru frowned. For what? He didn't even completely understand that part himself. He decided to just continue his story and pretend that he hadn't heard her. "And here, Sasuke did something that made him truly the greatest genius that Konoha ever raised! He…"

_BAM._

Konohamaru scowled, feeling a large bump form on his head as he stared up at the blonde ninja standing over him. "What?"

Uzumaki Naruto gave Konohamaru another lump on his head as he stalked away. "Don't turn such an epic battle into a comedy!" was his cross remark.

Konohamaru glared at Naruto's back, a tiny tear forming in his eye as he turned back to his hungry audience. They were still lapping up his words as though they were butter. He cleared his throat again. He _hadn't_ been turning the battle into a comedy! He was just… simplifying it for these younger ones who couldn't understand. Damn that Naruto! He would have his revenge! Just because he was many years younger didn't mean he was stupid… "Anyway, Orochimaru went crazy at this and lost most of his concentration! At the same time, Tsunade's Slug and Jiraiya's Toad finally managed to overthrow the great Manda. However, Orochimaru himself still could not be beaten. At this crucial point, guess who stepped in?"

"_Whoooo_?"

"The great Uzumaki Naruto!" Konohamaru declared. Behind him, Naruto ears perked at that and he stopped in his tracks.

"What did he do?"

"Ahhh…" Konohamaru paused, letting the silence hang in the air for an agonizing two seconds before continuing. Ha! Let these young, gullible ones spread this lie around the town and ruin Naruto's reputation! He rubbed his sore head again and hit on the best inspiration that had come to him today. "He let out a great whoop and unleashed his most feared jutsu ever – SEXY NO JUTSU!"

_BAAAAANG_!

"I thought you'd left," Konohamaru whimpered, his lower lip trembling as he stared up at Naruto's furious face.

And now he had three.

o

o

o

It was nice to sit like this. It was nice to sit on top of a hilltop that overlooked the valley which linked the outside world to the busy village of Konoha. It was nice to be here in this spot on a not-too-bright day beside the one you loved most. It was a nice day. A day to remember, to reflect. A day of memories.

She smiled as she gazed across the valley and recalled that fateful day, four months ago, when a certain someone came through it and returned to the place he truly belonged. She smiled, pushing her wind-swept bangs out of her eyes as she dipped her fingers in sticky green balm and, lifting them out of it, turned to the person sitting beside her. She smiled, and, reaching her hand up to his face, applied the balm onto his eyelids. She massaged them lightly, feeling tendrils of her chakra withdraw from her fingertips and enter his eyes. She could feel him twitch and she knew that it stung. But he never said a word, only sat silently and patiently and waited for the job to be done.

They sat in a mutual, comfortable silence after this. She was leaning slightly against his shoulder. His voice broke the quietness and made her jump.

"I have two sets of memories."

She stared at him.

"What?"

He did not face her. "You always assumed I had forgotten everything. But I do. I remember everything."

She hardly dared to breathe. A deep red flooded her cheeks. "Everything?"

A corner of his lips lifted in a tiny, lopsided smile. "Everything. That is why I can remember what… what happiness is. That is why I can let myself not be consumed by guilt, by hatred. That is why I can let myself be free."

She let out a deep breath and leaned back against him.

"So… you'll make another garland for me, then?" she asked shyly. She was remembering that little kiss.

"… Heh. I'll try." Maybe he was thinking about that, too, but who could tell?

It took time – so much time – but he was finally smiling again. Sometimes he even laughed. The most noticeable change was that now he talked more than ever. And Sakura let him. He was right – she'd always assumed that once he had regained his old memories, he lost the other set. Deep down inside, she had always hoped that he _did_ remember what it was like to be a child all over again. She had always hoped that he would finally come to realize what was truly important to him. And now he did. He was Uchiha Sasuke – the _whole_ Sasuke. It took so long – but what mattered was that he was finally… _here._

"…Tell me something truthfully, Sakura."

Sakura tensed slightly, afraid of his question.

"Will I see again?"

She was unsure of what to say. She stared at his face, at his eyes that were glued tightly shut. And she knew he was happy, either way. Maybe not completely satisfied – but who on this earth was completely satisfied? "I don't know. Probably. Yes." She spoke the truth. She believed he would.

"…And… the Sharingan?"

Now here was the difficult one. "I don't know. Does it matter?" she added. "You're still Uchiha."

He nodded.

"I know."

She felt a presence near them, and gazed outwards slightly. A striking, familiar figure was making his way up the hillside towards them. He lifted an arm to wave, and she waved back.

"Naruto's coming."

"Naruto." Sasuke smirked. "He still owes me ten bucks from that last trip to Ichiraku Ramen."

A giggle formed in Sakura's throat. It developed to a laugh. She laughed out loud, a joyful laugh that filled the entire area. Dimly, she heard her echo. With a great wonder, she spread out her hands, lifting them up as the strong wind blew something into her palm. It was a long, pink flower.

* * *

**FIN**

* * *

**A/N: **Hey, there. This story is finally over and done with. -whew- YAY! This is the FIRST multi-chaptered fic I've ever completed, btw. Makes sense, though, since it's only got five chapters. Hehe.

I do feel that that the last few chapters were poorly written. They weren't as developed as the first and second chapters, nor were they as detailed. And I do also feel that this story has a lot more potential to be extended into perhaps a 20 or so chaptered fic. However, I don't have that much of commitment to keep the story going, and neither am I able to produce such fine work, sadly. So, if I've disappointed any of you readers, I'm really, really sorry.

I hope the ending was satisfying enough, and that you enjoyed it or at least got a gist of what you meant. To state it plainly for those who don't understand - Since Orochimaru only wanted Sasuke's body mainly for the use of the Sharingan, Sasuke decided to stab his own eyes as a last resort. Okie, I know this is NOT likely to happen in the manga - but it's a possibility - and I am NOT going to go into any technicalities about what it means when you stab or defect a Sharingan user's eyes. Nor do I want to hear you complaining about the inaccuracies of this chapter and so on.

Please, please review and drop me some constructive criticism. I really appreciate it. ) Thank you all for following this story all this time (even if it's only five chapters...) and thank you for all the reviews. -sighs- Am starting to feel a little sentimental, really, about ending it all... but this story is finished... so thank you for coming this way with me and I hope you continue to support my fics. SasuSaku, rock on! P

(Psst... on a final note... does anyone get directed to another person's story when you click on the 'reviews' link in this fic?)


End file.
